In the past few years, virtual reality has changed the way we talk, walk, learn and even how we are entertained. According to a recent report, two industries are taking advantage of VR systems: education and the 3D industry. These industries are using VR technology to educate and entertain in a different and surprising way.

A recent survey reports that more and more companies are incorporating this technology to see real business growth and to maximize their potential. The education and 3D industries are not far behind in this race.

VR systems are becoming popular in the academic world. Statistics show that the number of universities utilizing head mounted displays (HMDs) is five times higher than it was six months ago. Such an increasing demand shows how VR is necessary for academics. A virtual learning system is a new and exciting way to engage students with the subject of their interest. Suppose you are a history teacher and you want to spark your students’ interest in a particular topic. You can take the students for a visit to a historical place using these virtual systems. This way, educators can use virtual reality technology to enhance their academic curriculum.

With the help of Google’s Expeditions Pioneer Program, school students are getting a one-day trip to a virtual environment, and the results are incredible. Students like what they see. This immersive technology not only provides better content than the traditional methods, but it also makes a real impact on learners. This immersive experience will foster learning in ways that a textbook or other study material cannot.

More and more universities are incorporating VR technology into their academic system. These colleges and institutions are a profitable market for VR vendors and businesses. In 2017, VR industries will be dedicated to all areas of education to help the learners gain hands-on expertise with AR and VR systems such as VR headsets, gloves, etc. This technology will keep the students in touch with the new tech trends. With virtual reality, both educators and students have the capability to expand their limits to access the information using transformative resources. There is a need to create more accessible content, and a lot of work needs to be done to make VR/AR development the main concern at major universities around the world.

One such report was prepared by Sketchfab, the center of the 3D model’s universe and a big VR player. This report is based on website traffic in Q1, the Sketchfab community and about 1 million VR scenes. This detailed report contains the ongoing trends related to content, and the future of virtual reality and VR devices.

Almost half of the population said they had tried both desktop as well as mobile headsets, and 20.4% of surveyed people say they have never tried it. 53.6% of people believe that VR has uses but not in every field, 43.1% of people think VR will be the future, whereas few (3.3%) people believe it is just publicity.

More than half of Sketchfab members are using a headset, but many of them said that they use Google Cardboard, which is not as effective. 57.8% of respondents prefer the HTC Vive. 19.8% of respondents prefer the Oculus Rift, and 7.3% prefer the Samsung Gear VR. Other headsets mentioned include Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, PSVR, and various custom homemade solutions. The HTC Vive headsets are the choice of 57.8% of people, 7.3% love Oculus Rift, and only 7.3% of people chose Samsung Gear VR.

It is expected that VR will boom in the education and game industries in the next five years. This year, 45.6% of people are planning to purchase VR headsets.

Virtual reality has made an impact, but there’s still a lot of work to do. VR vendors need to be more conscious of what needs to be done, and a massive investment is required to make VR systems more accessible to the population at affordable prices.

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Global Mindset (GM) is an award winning Sydney based consulting company with a focus on leveraging globalization, digitization & virtualization for Living, Learning & Working with following initiatives. Apart from Australia, GM is partnering in USA, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia

International Business Consulting – through its initiative Integrating Australia with Asia (IAA)

Emerging Trends in Learning & Working – through its initiative Learning & Working (L&W)